Wire-fence machine



(No Model.) 7 sheets-$116651,

A. J. BATES.

WIRE FENCE MACHINE v No. 577,639. v Patented Feb. 23, 1897.

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A. J. BATES.

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A. J. BATES.

WIRE FENCE MACHINE. No. 577,639. Patented Feb; 23, 1897.

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No. 577,639. Patented Feb. 23,1897.

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No. 577,639. Patented Feb. 23. 1897.

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" 7fShets-'Sheet s] No. 57?;639. Patented Feb. 23, 189? (No Model.) 7- SheetsSheet 7. v

A. J. BATES." y WIRE FENCE MAGHINB.

NQ.577, 6s9. Patented Babb-28,1897.

with it STATES ATENT OFFICE.-

ALBERT .I. BATES, OF JOLIET, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE CONSOLIDATED- STEEL AND IVIRE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

WIRE-FENCE MACHIN E.

srEomIoArIoN forming w of Letters Patent No. 577,639, dated February 23, 1897.

Application filed September 4, 1896. serial No. 604,857. (No model.) i

To all whom/ it may concern: a greatly-improved appearance; and the in- Be it known that I, ALBERT J. BATES, acit-ivent-ion consists in a machine organized and zen of the United States of America, residing having its elements combined as hereinafter at Joliet, in the county of Will and State of jclaimed and as contained in the machine 55 Illinois, have invented certain new and useherein illustrated and described as the best ful Improvements in Wire-Fence Machines, embodiment of the invention at this time of which the following is a full, clear, and eX- known tome. act description, such as will enable others In the accompanying drawings, forming skilled in the art to which it appertains to part of this specification, Figure 1 is a top 60 1o make and use the same. plan of the machine. Fig. 2 is a side eleva- The invention relates to the manufacture tion of the same, looking at the machinefrom of woven-Wire fences; and the general object the right of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation in view is to make by machinery at one opof the same, looking at the machine from the oration, in continuous lengths, a complete lower side of Fig. 1. Fig.4cisahorizontal sec- 65 fencing or fence fabric, consisting of a plution of the machine on lineA Aof Figs. 2 and 3,

rality of longitudinal or strand wires having looking down. Fig. 5 is a detailed face view of transverse stay-wires or braces spanning the the machine stay-wire coilers and a side View spaces between the strand-wires and secured of the stay-wire-cutting-off mechanism, taken thereto, so as to connect them together and on line B B of Fig. 4, looking toward the right. 7 2o strengthen and support them. Fig. 6 is a detailed View of the upper portion l This style of fencing is not new, and it has of said stay-wire coiling and cutting-0E mechalready been proposed to make the same by anism, showing the 'face of one cutter-bar machinery at one continuous operation, but and the side of the end portions of the coilin doing so the transverse stay-wires correers. Fig. 7 is a detailed View representing a 75 sponding to the spaces between the strandsection of the mechanism shown in Fig. 5 wires have been divided into sets or groups, with the stay-wire cutters thereof brought to the individual wires of which correspond only a position assumed when cutting off the stayto alternate spaces between the strand-wires, wire. Figs. 8 and 9 are detailed views repreand these sets or groups have been fed in and senting different stages, in the process of op- 80 secured to the strand-wires alternately, so crating the machine, of coiling the stay-wire that in the completed fencing the stay-wires ends about the strand-wires. Fig. 10 is a deare not continuous across the fabric, but are tailed view representing a section of the staso located and arranged that at any given tionary cutter-bar shown at the right at Fig. point of the fencing only alternate spaces be 5, showing a stay-wire guide placed between 8 5 3 5 tween the strand-wires are crossed, the other two coilers. Fig. 11 is a cross-section of the spaces not being crossed by the stay-wires, same on line D D of Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is a deand the longitudinal wires not being con- .tailed side view of the mechanism of the manected at all at that point. chine for operating the stay-wire coilers, the

' It is the particular object of the present insame being a portion of the mechanism shown 0 o vention to provide a machine that will make in Fig. 2. Figs. 13 and 14 are detailed views this kind of fencing so that in the completed representing sections of the mechanism shown fabric all the longitudinal wires or as many in Fig. 12, showing by dotted lines the differas may be desired will be connected together ent relative positions of the rack and coilerby transverse stay-wires that are practically pinions. Fig. 15 is a cross-sectional view of 9 5 5 continuous and in line with one another, and said rack and one of said coiling-pinions, this I accomplish by feeding all the stay-wires taken on line C C of Figs. 12 andlt, looking in simultaneously andin line with one another down, also showing keeper-plates at the sides crosswise of the straud-wires and securing of said rack. Fig. 16 is a side view of one them to the strand-wires and to one another, of the stay-wire-coiling shafts and pinion of I00 thereby producing a fencing of superior the machine, representing the coiling end of strength, rigidity, and effectiveness and of the same in section. Fig. 17 is a face view of one pair of the stay-wire feed-rolls and gears thereof of the machine. Figs. 18 and 19 are detailed plan views of said feed-rolls. Figs. 20 and 21 represent sections of wovenwire fencing, the same being the product of the machine. Figs. 22 and 23 are detailed views of portions of said fencing, representing the manner in which the stay-wire ends are coiled about the strand-wires; and Fig. 24 is a detailed view of a portion of two facing take-up rolls of the machine with aportion of the fencing between them.

Referring to the views, 1 denotes the bedplate of the machine, arranged in a horizontal position upon any suitable foundation and secured thereto by foundation-bolts.

2 indicates the head-plate, supported in a horizontal position above the bed-plate upon posts 3 and 4, which rise from the bed-plate and form bearings and supports for the wire feeding, coiling, guiding, and cutting mechanisms, as well as performing otherfunctions, which will be hereinafter described.

5 denotes a post that is fixed to the bed and head plates in line with the posts 3 and 4, and 6 is a column located between the posts 4 and 5 and forming a support for certain take-up rolls and tension devices, which will also be described later on.

Journaled on the upper side of the head plate 2 in stand-bearings 7 and 8 is a shaft 9, having fixed thereon a bevel gear-wheel 10 and a ratchet-wheel 11, having four teeth. The shaft 9 has also splined upon it bevel gear-wheels 12 and 13, and loosely journaled upon the shaft is also a belt-pulley 14, which has fixed to its hub a spur-pinion-15, all as illustrated in Fig. 1. Likewise journaled upon the upper side of the head-plate in bearings 16 and 17 is a shaftlS, having a combined cam and crank wheel 19 at one end, a crank-disk 22 at the other end, a spur gearwheel 20, and an eccentric 21. Also, journaled in a bearing 23 midway between the shafts 9 and 18 is an intermediate gear-pinion 24, meshing with the spur-pinion and the gear and operating to transmit movement from the former to the latter, so that a belt passing around the pulley 14 will drive the shaft 18 and its connected parts, and thereby, through the agency of the arm 26, which is sleeved on the shaft 9 and carries a springpawl 27, arranged to engage the teeth of the ratchet-wheel 11, and the connecting-rod 25, which is arranged to connect the arm 26 with the crank-disk 22, to intermittently drive the shaft 9 and its connected parts.

Respectively stepped in boxes 28 and 29 on the bed-plate are shafts 30 and 31, which extend upwardly through the head-plate and have fixed on their upper ends, respectively, bevel-pinions 32 and 33, located and arranged so that gear 13 on shaft 9 may be set to mesh with the pinion 32, and gear 12 on the same shaft may be set to mesh with the pinion 33. The shaft 31 extends upwardly through a stand-bearing 34 above the pinion 33 and has fixed to its upper end a h orizontall y-operatin g flanged belt-pulley 35.

Below the head-plate 2 the shaft 30 has fixed thereon a spur-gear 36, and at a corresponding point the shaft 31 has a similar gear 37. These two gears are connected together through the intermediacy of an idler 38, which is studded to the under side of the head-plate, so that when one of the shafts is driven the other will be likewise operated. The object of making the gears 12 and 13 splined and movable on the shaft 9 is that either one may be caused to mesh with its fellow gear 011 the shafts 30 and 31, so that when the gear 12 meshes with the gear 33 the movement transmitted to the shafts 30 and 31 will be equal to that imparted to shaft 9, which, by reason of the ratchet-wheel 11 having four teeth and operated one tooth at each actuation, will be a one-fourth turn, and when the gear 12 is moved out of mesh and the gear 13 is moved into mesh with the gear 32 the movement transmitted to the shafts 30 and 31 will, by reason of the fact that the gear 32 has a pitch diameter one-half that of the gear 13, be a one-half turn at each actuation of shaft 9, this interchange of motion being for the purpose of varying the take-up movement of the machine, so as to alter the distance apart of the stay-wires affixed to the strand-wires, as will be more fully explained later 011.

Journaled in bearings in the posts 3 and 4 are a series or plurality of coiling-shafts 39, arranged vertically one over another and located at graduated distances apart. These shafts are centrally and longitudinally bored to provide passage-ways therethrough for lon gitudinal strand-wires of the fencing, and each is provided at the end where the wire enters with a pinion 43 and a wire-guide 40. At the opposite ends each of these coilingshafts is provided with a tip 41, that is threaded into the end of the shaft and is provided with two oppositely-located longitudinallyextendingcoiling-pins42. Thecoiling-shafts are all placed so that their pinions 43 are in vertical line at the outer side of the post 3, and so that their coiling ends and the pins 42 protrude a short distance from the post 4 at the side thereof facing toward the center of the machine, as shown in Fig. 4.

Fulcrumed to the lower part of post 3 is a bell-crank lever 44, and to the upper part of the post in vertical line with the lever 44 is fulcrumed a compound bell-crank lever 45. This lever has three arms,'one downwardly extending, one upwardly extending, and one extending laterally parallel with the lever 44. The upwardly and laterally extending arms are provided with wrist-rollers 46 and 47, respectively, that are arranged to operate against peripheral cams 4S and 49 on the camwheel 19, which cams are of such form as to impart an intermittent oscillating movement to the compound lever to lock it against movement during the intervals of its throw.

50 denotes aconnectin g-rod j oiningtogether IIO the laterally-extending arms of the levers 44 and 45, so that a like movement may be imparted to each.

51 denotes a bar which is pivotally studded to the downwardly-extending arms of the levers 44 and 45, and this bar has forwardlyextending side plates orkeepers 52 and 53 fixed to it, the keepers 52 being made integral with a verticallyextending plate 54, as shown. Slidingly held between said keepers is a rack-bar 55, backed against the bar 51 and provided on its sides with longitudinal grooves 56, into which grooves extend inwardly-projecting ribs or flanges on the keepers 52 and 53 for the purpose of holding the rack against the bar 51 and at the same time allowing it to slide vertically along said bar.

Pivotally connected to the back of the rackbar by a box 58 is a lever 57, which lever is pivoted at its opposite end to the upper end of an upright connecting-rod 59, which is pivoted at its lower end to a bracket 60, rising from the bed-plate 1.

Pivotally connecting the central portion of the lever 57 is a bar 61, which extends upwardly and is connected at its upper end to the crank 62 of the cam-wheel19, so that movement is imparted from said crank to the lever 57, and a reciprocating motion is thereby given to the rack-bar 55. In order to accommodate this movement of the box 58 on the rack-bar, the rack-supporting bar 51 is recessed, as shown at 151 in Fig. 12. The arrangement of the rack-bar is such that its teeth face the pinions of the coiling-shat ts 39, and when held at its back throw by the action of the levers 44 and 45 its teeth will be out of gear with said pinions, but when held at its forward throw its teeth will be in operative gear with said pinions. The object in thus holding and operating the rack-bar is that at each upward movement thereof it will be in mesh with and rotate the coiler-pinions and at each downward movement it will be held out of mesh with said pinions, so as not to rotate them. In this way the coilers are rotated only in one direction, and for the p urpose of locking the coiler-pinions against rotation when the rack is out of mesh therewith the plate 54, which is held close to the ends of the coiling-shafts and pinions, is provided with a series of inwardly-extendin g pins 63, one pin being located relatively to each pinion on the opposite side from the rack and so stationed that when the rack is in mesh with the pinions it will be out of engagement and when the rack is out of mesh it will engage the pinion and prevent the same from being turned out of proper position for the remeshin g of the rack therewith, all as clearly shown in Figs. 13 and 14.

As a means of providing ways through plate 54 for the entrance of the strand-wires to the coiling-shafts 39, as well as to permit the plate to move laterally with respect to the pinions 43, it is made with a series of slots 64, extending laterally, as shown in Figs. 13 and 14.

Journaled to the post 3 and the head-plate 2 at one sideof the coiler-pinions 43 is a vertical shaft 67, having fixed on its upper end a bevel-pinion 68, arranged to gear with and be intermittently operated by the gear 10 on the end of the shaft 9. Fixed on this shaft 67 at graduated distances apart along its length corresponding to the positions of the coiling-shafts is a plurality of feed-rolls 69, and journaled in bearings at the free ends of spring-arms 70, which are secured to and supported by an upright bar 71, extending parallel with said shaft, are corresponding feedrolls 72, arranged to operate one with each roll 69 and so proportioned that each is twice the diameter of its fellow roll 69. Each pair of these feed-rolls 69 and 72 is provided with a pair of intermeshing spur-gears 73 and 74 for the purpose of imparting a positive rotation to the rolls 72 from the rolls 69. There is one pair of spring-arms for each of the rolls 72, one arm being below and the other above the roller, and secured to the upright bar 71 in proximity to each pair of these arms is a bracket 75, which pivotally supports a cam-faced lever 76, these levers being for the purpose of being operated to bring their camfaces against the spring-arm 7 O with sufficient pressure to force and hold the feed-roll 72 in yielding contact with the wire being fed into the machine between the rolls and to be operated to release said spring-arms from such force, so that they will hold the rolls 72 out of contact with the wire at such times as it may be necessary or desirable to stop the infeeding of the wire during the operation of the machine.

Fixed in suitable bearings upon posts. 3 are a series or plurality of stay-wire guide-tubes 77, one tube being arranged to receive the wire fed forward by each pair of rolls 69 and 72. These tubes are curved laterally toward the coiling-shafts and extend upwardly and inwardly each to a point a little below the coiling end of one of the coiling-shafts 39, so that the wires fed through said tubes pass upwardly across the face of the coilers between the strand-wires passing through the latter and the coiling-pins 42 in a curved direction, as represented in Figs. 5 and (i.

The post 4, in addition to providing fixed bearin gs for the coiling ends of the coilingshafts 39, constitutes the stationary cutterbar of the machine and has secured to its side a plurality of duplicate cutters 78, which are held to their seats by means of cap-plates 79 and are made adjustable by set-screws 80. These cutters are arranged in relation to the coilers and so timed in their operation as to cut the stay-wires when a sufficient length has been fed through the guide-tubes to span the spaces between the coilers and the longi tudinal strand-wires passing through them. There is one cutter stationed a little below each coiler except the upper one, and each operates in conjunction with a movable cutter, which I will now describe.

Referring to Sheet 5 of the drawings, 81 denotes a bar extending parallel with the bar 4 and movable toward and from the latter by being mounted at its opposite ends on the wrists 82 of eccentric-levers 83 and 84, that are fulcrumed on fixed pins 85 and 80. 87 is a rod arranged to connect the levers 83 and 84 together, so that their movement will be joint, and this rod and levers are operated through the intermediacy of the arm 88 and a strap around the eccentric 21. This bar 81 constitutes the movable cutter-bar of the machine, and seated in its side in substantially the same manner that the stationary cutters are seated in the bar 4 are a plurality of cutters 89, so arranged that as the bar 81 moves toward the fixed cutter-bar the cutters 89 will cooperate with the fixed cutters 78 to cut the wire, and the movement of these cutters, owing to the operating connections above described, is on a downward curve, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 9.

Attached to the post 4 in fixed relation to the coilers are guides 90, said guides occupying places between the coilers except when the coilers are in such close proximity as to permit the guides to be dispensed with. These guides are made with open faced grooves 91, preferably of a form corresponding with the curvature of the stay-wires, and are provided with yielding face-plates 92, connected therewith with spring-hinges, as shown in Fig. 1.0, and operating to normally close the grooves 91 and hold the wires in the guides, but permitting the wires to be released therefrom after the coilers have wrapped their ends around the strand-wires. Confined guideways are thus formed for the infeeding of the stay-wires, so that they may not be deflected from their proper course and so that they will be held between the coilers while their ends are being coiled around the strand-wires. After the stay-wires have been attached to the strand wires the forward feeding of the fencing through the machine causes them to bear against the yielding faceplates and force them open to release the wires, after which the spring-hinges of the plates cause them to close ready for a succeeding feed of the stay-wires. In Fig. 5 these guides are omitted -to avoid confusion.

Fixed upon the shaft 30 is a plurality of take-up rolls corresponding in number to the number of the strand-wires and arranged at graduated distances apart in accordance with the arrangement of the coilers. Each of these rollers is provided with peripheral notches or recesses 94. Fixed upon the shaft 31 is a like series of rolls 95, arranged in the same order, and supported in bearings in spring-arms 96, which are attached to the column 0 by means of brackets 97, are a plurality of tension-rollers 99, and these tension-rollers are arranged in the same order as the take-up rolls 93 and 95, so that the take-up mechanism for each strand-wire comprises a series of three rolls Viz., 93, 99, and 95. Each of the tensionrollers 99 is adjusted to bear against or be relieved from its fellow rolls 93 and 95 by means of a cam-faced lever 98 in like manner as described of the levers 7 6.

100 represents the vertically-arranged winding-drum for reeling the completed fencing. It consists of two parts, preferably of wood, nearly semicircular in cross-section, and both seated at their lower ends in recesses of a stand 101, being locked therein by means of a cross-key 102, passing through the parts of the drum and through a central vertical web of the stand, said stand being stepped in bearings on the bed-plate in box 103. The upper ends of the sections of the drum are placed in a head-piece 105, which is similar in construction to the stand 101 and is fitted on a short shaft journaled in a box 106, attached to one end of the laterally-extending arm 107 of the head-plate. A key 104, similar to the key 102 in the stand 101, looks the upper end of the sectional drum in the head-piece.

Sleeved on the upper end of the shaft 108 is a belt-pulley 111, similar to the pulley 35 on the shaft 31. Attached to this pulley is a spring-pawl 109, and fixed 011 the upper end of the shaft 108 of the drum is a ratchet-wheel 110, arranged so that its teeth will be engaged by the pawl. A belt 112 travels around the pulleys 111 and 35 and transmits motion from the pulley 35 to the drum mechanism for reeling the completed fencing into rolls as it is delivered from the take-up mechanism. The pawl-and-ratchet connection between the pulley 111 and the drum is for the purpose of adapting the drum to rotate forwardly independent of its driving mechanism, so as to take up the slack when starting the winding of a roll thereon.

The strand-wires employed in the manufacture of the fencing are represented at 113 and are taken directly from the coils or spools on which the wire is received from the wire-making machine. These wires are passed one through each coiler 39, thence to and between the faces of the take-up rolls 93 99 95, and thence about the rolls 95 to and around the winding-drum 100. During the operation of the machine these wires are intermittently pulled forward through the coilers by the takeup rolls and delivered to the winding-drum.

The stay-wires are indicated at 114 and are also taken from the usual coils or spools and placed one between each pair of feed-rolls 69 and 72, which rolls, by reason of the intermittent movement that is imparted to them, feed the wires forwardly with an intermittent motion, the relative pitch diameters of the gears 10 on the main shaft 9 and 68 on the shaft of the rolls 69 being such that at each actuation of the shaft 9 the rolls make one complete rotation, and the diameters of said rolls are such that they feed forward a sufficient length of the stay-wires for spanning the spaces between the strand-wires and for making the coils about the same.

In feeding in the stay-wires their coil ourvature is maintained and utilized, so that as the wires pass from the tubes 77, which are vertically in line with the end of the coilers, they pass up beyond the nose of thestationary cutters 7 8 between one coiling-pin 42 and the strand-wire, thence on an inward or sidebowing course over the cutter 78 next above. and thence between the coiling-pin 42 and the strand-wire of the coiler next above and in a position 011 the opposite side of the strandwire from the one formerly passed.

with their body portions bowed off from the post or stationary cutterbar 4 and with their end portions crossed at the strand-wires, their ends also inclining toward and against the tips of the coilers and within the limit of the pins 42, so that the rotation of the coilers will cause the pins to engage the ends and jointly intercoil them with each other and around the strand-wires. This joint action of the coilers causes all the meeting ends of the lengths of stay-wires which span the spaces between the strand-wires to be intercoiled and form a practically continuous stay-wire across the width of the fencing. The bowed position of the body portions of the stay-wires during the coiling of their ends brings them suificiently off from the coilers so as not to be engaged by the pins.

The infeeding of the stay-wires takes place at the time the pawl-and-ratchet mechanism 11 25 26 27 actuates the shaft 9, and at this time the strand-wires are also pulled forward with their attached stay-wires, the fencing being then wound on the drum 100, and during the one-half movement of the machine while the shaft 9 is idle the coiling-shafts are rotated to coil the ends of the stay-wires around the strand-wires.

In the construction of the feed-rolls 69 and 7 2 the latter are made twice the diameter of the former, and when all the rolls 7 2 are made with full peripheries, as shown in Fig. 18, they are in constant contact with the staywires, and at each revolution of the roll 69 they make one'half a revolution, resulting in the production of the fencing shown in Fig. 20. For the purpose of producing the fencing shown in Fig. 21, with alternate stay-wires shorter or connecting only a limited number of the strand-wires, the rolls 72 or such of them as represent the blank spaces in the fencing shownin the drawings are cut away at onehalf of their peripheries, as shown in Fig. 19, so that at each alternate half-rotation they will be liberated from pressure against the stay-wires and not make a feed, but at the succeeding alternate half-rotations their full peripheral portions will engage and feed forward the stay-Wires.

In drawing the strand-wires through the coiling mechanism by the take-up rolls they are pinched by the rolls with sufficient pres sure to feed them through the machine and on toward the winding-drum, and the rolls are so located that the coils of the stay- The several stay-wires thus fed forward are presented wires about the strand-wires register with the peripheral notches or recesses 94 of the rolls 93 and 95, so as not to crush the coils, and for the further purpose of making short bends or crimps in each strand-wire at the ends of the stay-wire coils, which bends prevent the displacement of the stay-Wire coils and incidentally afford elasticity to the finished fencing, so as to adapt it to expand and contract under atmospheric influences. The manner of this crimping will be understood from Fig. 2t, where the plain surface of the roll 99 causes the coils of the stay-wires to pass into the recesses 94, and the shoulders of the roll 93 adjoining the recesses bend the strand-wires, as there represented.

'When the take-up rolls are given a onefourth rotation at each actuation of the machine, the advance of the strand-wires is such that the stay-wires will be placed sufficiently close together for their coiled ends to register with each peripheral notch 94:, but when a onehalf rotation is given the rolls for each actuation of the machine only every other notch 94 will register with the stay-wire coils.

The construction and operation of the machine being as above described, it will be noted that fencing of various heights or widths may be made by omitting one or more of the strand-wires 113 and the corresponding stay-wires 114, also that the stay-wires may all be made continuous across the fencing, or alternate ones only may go clear across, the others extending so far across as may be desired. It will also be noted that by graduating the distances apart of the coilingshafts the strand wires may be uniformly spaced apart or be closer together at the lower part of the fencing.

In the following claims I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself as to the details of construction of the individual elements going to make up the several parts or combinations of the machine herein illustrated and described, as I regard the invention as of a character to admit of variations of these details within considerable limits without departing from its spirit or scope. For example, the details of the coilers, the cutters, the feeding and take-up mechanisms, and other parts may be differently c011- structed so long as the organization, relative arrangement, and combinations are preserved, and the framing of the machine, the gearing, &c., are features that admit of a wide range of modification within the skill of the designer and machine-constructor.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim, and desire to secure, is- H 1. In awire-fence machine,the co'mbination of mechanism for intermittently feeding a plurality of longitudinal strand-Wires, mechanism for intermittently feeding a plurality of stay-wires simultaneously and transversely of the strand-wires, mechanism for cutting off suitable lengths of the stay-wires to span the spaces between the strand-wires, and mechanism for simultaneously coiling the adjacent ends of the lengths of the stay-wires around the strand-wires.

2. In awire-fence machine, the combination of mechanism for intermittently feeding a plurality of longitudinal strand-wires, mech anism for intermittently feeding a plurality of stay-wires simultaneously and transversely of the strand-wires, mechanism for cutting off suitable lengths of the stay-wires to span the spaces between the strandwires, and mechanism forintercoilin g the adjacent ends of the lengths of the stay-wires around the strandwires.

3. In a wire-fence machin e, the combination of mechanism for intermittently feeding a plurality of longitudinal strand-wires, mechanism for intermittently feeding a plurality of stay-wires simultaneously and in line with one another transversely of the stran d-wires, mechanism for cutting off suitable lengths of the stay-wires to span the spaces between the strand-wires, and mechanism forintercoiling the adjacent ends of the lengths of the staywires around the strand-wires.

4. In a wire-fence machine, the combination of mechanism for intermittently feeding a plurality of longitudinal strand-wires, mechanism for intermittently feeding a plurality of stay-wires simultaneously and in line with one another transversely of the strand-wires, mechanism for cutting off suitable lengths of the stay-wires to span the spaces between the strand-wires, mechanism for coiling the outer ends of the outermost lengths of the staywires around the border strand-wires, and mechanism for intercoiling the adjacent ends of the lengths of the stay-wires around the intermediate strand-wires.

5. In a wire-fence machine, the combination of mechanism forintermittently feeding a plurality of longitudinal strand-wires, mechanism for intermittently feeding a plurality of stay-wires simultaneously and transversely of the strand-wires, mechanism forcuttin g off suitable lengths of the stay-wires to span the spaces between the strand-wires, mechanism for simultaneously coiling adjacent ends of the lengths of stay-wires around the strandwires, and mechanism for crimping the strand-wires at the junction of the stay-wires to more firmly secure the latter.

6. In a wire-fence machine, the combination of mechanism for intermittently feeding a plurality of longitudinal strand-wires, mechanism for intermittently feeding a plurality of stay-wires simultaneously and transversely of the strand-wires, mechanism forcuttin g off suitable lengths of the stay-wires to span the spaces between the strand-wires, mechanism for intercoiling the adjacent ends of the lengths of the stay-wires around the strandwires, and mechanism for taking up the fencing as it is formed.

'7. In a wire-fence machine, the combination of a plurality of coilers through which longitudinal strand-wires are fed, a plurality of guides through which stay-wires are fed transversely to the coilers, mechanism for cutting off suitable lengths of the stay-wires to span the spaces between the strand -wires, and mechanism for holding the stay-wires intermediately of the coilers while their ends are being coiled around the strand-wires.

8. I11 a wire-fence machine,the combination of a plurality of coilers through which longitudinal strand-wires are fed, a plurality of guides through which stay-wires are fed transversely to the coilers, mechanism for cutting off suitable lengths of the stay-wires to span the spaces between the strand-wires, said guides being adapted to hold the cut lengths of the stay-wires intermediately of the coilers while their ends are being coiled around the strand-wires, and to yield so as to release the stay-wires after the coiling operation.

9. In a wire-fence n1achinc,the combination of a plurality of coilers through which longitudinal strand-wires are fed, a plurality of guides through which transverse stay-wires are fed to the coilers, mechanism for feeding in the stay-wires transversely of the strandwires, and mechanism for cutting off suitable lengths of the stay-wires to span the spaces between the strand-wires, said feeding and cutting mechanisms being arranged and adapted to feed the stay-wires in and cut them off with the ends of adjacent lengths overlapping at the coilers.

10. In a wire-fence machine, the combination of a plurality of coilers through which longitudinal strand-wires are fed, mechanism for feeding a plurality of stay-wires transversely of the strand-wires, mechanism for cutting off suitable lengths of the stay-wires to span the spaces between the strand-wires, and mechanism for rotating the coilers in one direction only to coil the ends of the staywires around the strand-wires.

11. In a wire-fence machine, the combination of a plurality of coilers through which longitudinal strand-wires are fed, mechanism for feeding stay-wires to the coilers transversely of the strand-wires, mechanism for cutting the stay-wires, mechanism for intermittently rotating the coilers in one direction only, and mechanism for locking the coilers against rotation during the intermission of the coiler-rotatin g mechanism.

12. In a wire-fence machine, the combination of a plurality of coilers through which longitudinal strand-wires are fed, mechanism for feeding stay-wires to the coilers transversely of the strand-wires, mechanism for cutting the stay-wires, a gear-rack for rotating the coilers in one direction only, and mechanism for throwing said rack into and out of engagement with the coilers.

13. In a wire-fence machine, the combination of a plurality of coilers through which longitudinal strand-wires are fed, mechanism for feeding stay-wires to the coilers transversely of the strand-wires, a rack-bar for intermittently rotating the coilers in one direction only, mechanism for throwing saidrack into and out of engagement with the coilers, and means for locking and holding the coilers while the rack is out of engagement therewith so as to prevent rotation and insure the reengagement of the rack.

14. In a wire-fence machine, the combination of a plurality of coilers arranged in line with one another, a gear-rack for rotating said coilers, said rack being supported in parallel relation with the line of coilers by pivoted levers, and mechanism for swinging the levers to throw the rack into and out of engagement with the coilers.

15. In a wire-fence machine, the combination of a plurality of coilers arrangedin line with one another, a gear-rack for rotating said coilers, a rack-supporting bar, pivoted levers carrying said bar, a rod connecting said levers, mechanism for swinging the levers to throw the bar and its rack toward and from the coilers, and mechanism for reciprocating the rack.

16. In a wire-fence machine, the combination of a plurality of coilers arranged in line with one another, the gear-rack 55 supported in parallel relation with the line of coilers on pivoted levers 44, 45, the rod connecting said levers to move together, and the camwheel 19 upon which the rollers 46, 47 of the lever 45 work.

17. In a wire-fence machine, the combination of a plurality of coilers arranged in line with one another, the gear-rack supported in parallel relation with the line of coilers on pivoted levers 44, 45, the rod 50 connecting said levers to move together, the cam-Wheel 19 upon which the rollers 46, 47 of the lever 45 work, the lever 57 pivotally connected to the rack-bar and to the connecting-rod 59, and the rod 61 connecting the lever 57 to the crank 62 of the cam-wheel.

18. In a wire-fence machine, the combination of a plurality of coilers arranged in line with one another, a reciprocating rack-bar in parallel relation with said line of coilers and adapted to be thrown laterally into and out of engagement therewith, a keeper-plate movable laterally with the rack-bar, and pins 63 on the plate at the opposite side of the coilerpinions from the bar.

19. In a wire-fence machine, the combination of a plurality of coilers through which longitudinal strand-wires are fed guide-tubes corresponding to the coilers for feeding trans verse stay-wires thereto, and guides located between the coilers for directing the staywires from one coiler across the intervening space to the next adjacent eoiler.

20. In a wire-fence maohine, the combination of a plurality of coilers through which longitudinal strand wires are fed, guides extending between the coilers for directing the stay-wires from one coiler across the intervening space to the adjacent coiler, and cutters for cutting the stay-wires after they have been projected through the guides, said guides being adapted to holdthe stay-wires during the operation of the coilers and to release them after the coiling is completed. V

21. In a wire-fence machine, the combination of a plurality of coilers through which longitudinal strand-wires are fed, cooperatingrolls for feeding stay-wires through the coilers transversely of the strand-wires, and mechanism for throwing individual feed-rolls out of action so as to interrupt the feeding in of individual stay-wires.

22. In a wire-fence machine, the combination of a plurality of coilers through which longitudinal strand-wires are fed, the shaft 67 carrying feed-rolls 69, one for each coiler, the cooperating feed rolls 72 mounted in spring-arms and geared to the rolls 69, and the cam-faced levers 76 for throwing the rolls 72 in operative connection With the rolls 69.

23. In a Wire-fence machine, the combination of the driven feed-rolls 69, the cooperating rolls 72 geared to the rolls 69, the springarms 70 in which the rolls 72 are mounted, and the cam-faced levers 76 for throwing the rolls 72 in operative connection with the rolls 69.

24. In a wire-fence machine, a stay-wirefeeding mechanism comprising driven feedrolls, and cooperating feed-rolls geared there to, the cooperating rolls having a diameter twice that of the driven rolls, and having one half of their peripheries cut away.

25. In a wire-fence machine, the combination of strand-wire-feeding mechanism, staywire-feeding mechanism, and stay-wire cuttin g and coiling mechanism, of mechanism for crimping the strand-wires at the junction of the stay-wires, said mechanism consisting of rolls between which the completed fencing passes, one of said rolls having a plain surface and the other being provided with notches or recesses into which the coils of the stay-wires pass.

26. In a wire-fence machine, the combination of strand-wire-feeding mechanism, staywire-feeding mechanism, mechanism for cut* ting the stay-wires and coiling them around the strand-wires, the tension-roll 99 having a plain periphery, and the take-up roll 93 having notches or recesses 94 in its periphery, the surfaces of the rollers 99 and 93 being in such proximity that the strand-wires are crimped at the junction of the stay-wire coils as the coils pass into the recesses 94.

27. In a wire-fence machine, the combination of a plurality of coilers, a stationary cutter-bar carrying a plurality of cutters corresponding to the coilers, a movable cutter-bar carrying a plurality of cutters corresponding to and cooperating with the fixed cutters, and mechanism for moving the movable cutterbar toward and from the stationary bar so that all the cutters will operate simultaneously.

28. In a wire-fence machine, the combination of a plurality of coilers, a stationary cutter-bar carrying a plurality of cutters correspondin g to the coilers, and a movable cutter- IOC bar carrying a plurality of cutters correspondin g to and cooperating with the fixed cutters,

said movable bar being mounted on eccentricwrists 82 of a pair of connected levers S3, 84: connected together by a rod 87, and means for operating the levers.

29. In a wire-fence machine, the combination of take-up rolls for taking up the com pleted fencing, tension-rolls cooperating with said take-up rolls, spring-arms in which the tension-rolls are mounted, and cam-faced levers for throwing the tension-rolls in operative connection with the take-up rolls.

30. In a wire-fence machine, the combination of strand-wire-feeding mechanism, staywire-feeding mechanism, mechanism for cutting the stay-wires and coiling them around the strand-wires, mechanism for taking up the completed fencing, and differential gearing for driving the take-up mechanism, whereby the distance apart of the stay-Wires may be varied.

31. In a wire-fence machine, the combination of the shafts 30, 31 of the take-up mechanism, said shafts being intergeared by the gears 36 and 37, respectively, and the idler 38, of the drive-shaft 9 having the adjustable gears 12 and 13 adapted to mesh with the gears 32 and 33 on the shafts 30 and 31 respect-ively.

32. In a wire-fence machine, the combination of a winding-drum, a ratchet-wheel fixed 011 the shaft of the drum, a driving-wheel loosely journaled on said shaft, and a pawl carried by the driving-wheel and engaging the ratchet-wheel.

33. In a wire-fence machine, the combination of a longitudinally-sectional windingdrum, a driven head-piece in which one end of each of the drum-sections are fitted, a rotatable stand in which the other ends of the drum-sections are fitted, and means for releasably securing said sections together and to the head and stand.

34. In a wire-fence machine, the combination of the driven head-piece 105, the rotatable stand 101, the longitudinally-sectional the coilers transversely of the strand-wires,

mechanism for feeding the stay-wires through the guides, and mechanism for cutting off suitable lengths of the stay-wires to span the spaces between the strand-wires, said guides being curved so as to present the ends of the stay-wires at an angle to the face of the coilers in order that the body portion 'of the wires may not interfere with the action of the coiling-pins.

36. In a wire-fence machine, the combination of a plurality of coilers arranged in vertical line one over another, a plurality of similarly-arranged guides and feed-rolls for feeding stay-wires to the coilers, take-up rolls for taking the fencing from the coilers, and a winding-drum for reeling the completed fencing, said take-up rolls and winding-drum bein g located and arranged in parallel relation to the line of coilers and stay-wire feed-rolls.

37. In a wire-fence machine, the combination of bed and head plates, suitably c011- nected by vertical standards, a plurality of coilers arranged in vertical line one over another, a vertically-reciprocating rack-bar in parallel relation with the line of coilers, a plurality of vertically-arranged guides and feed-rolls for directing and feeding stay-wires to the coilers, take-up and tension rolls for taking the fencing from the coilers, and a winding-drum for reeling the completed fencing, said take-up rolls and winding-drum being located and arranged vertically in parallel relation to the line of coilers.

In testimony that I claim the above I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT J. BATES.

Witnesses:

JNo. Y. BROOKS, JENNIE V. GRAY. 

